The Sacred Philosophy of the Holy Scripture, Article 2 · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX. That the reſtoring of Man to the favour of God, could not be by any meanes that was in man, nor by any one that was man alone.
WHat haſt thou, O man, which thou haſt not received? and if thou haſt received that which thou haſt of grace alone; whereas thou could'ſt claime nothing of duty, what is that merit of thine, either of condignity, or of congruity for which thou canſt challenge either reward or acceptance? is there not a bond of dutie and thankfulneſſe to him of whom thou did'ſt receive it? And if man have received of God his whole being, and whatſoever he hath of outward bleſſings, or inward graces; how can hee give any thing to God which is not his owne 1 Chron. 29.14.16. So that whatſoever a man can doe which may ſeeme pleaſing to God; yet when hee hath done all, hee muſt acknowledge himſelfe an unprofitable ſervant, becauſe hee hath done onelyonly that which hee ought Luke 17.10. But being beſides in danger of the judgement of God, both for his originall and actuall ſinne, ſhall hee bring for his ranſome ten thouſand rivers of oyle, or the fruit of his body for the ſinne of his ſoule? Mic. 6.7. Oh madneſſe of merit and ſatisfaction! where are thoſe workes of ſupererogation, that treaſurie of the Church, by the pedling and ſale of which, that purple whore hath lived in pleaſure, and glorified her ſelfe? But ſee the reaſons of the concluſion.
1. Every offender againſt an infinite juſtice, muſt in juſtice either make an infinite ſatisfaction, or elſe indure an infinite puniſhment. But no finite creature either man or Angell, can make an infinite ſatisfaction: ſo then there is no returne to the favour of God by the mediation either of man or Angell.
2. Where an endleſſe debt is ſtill increaſed, there no payment can bee lookt for. But man by his originall ſinne being infinitely indebted doth ſtill increaſe the debt more and more by his actuall tranſgreſſion. Therefore from man no amends can bee lookt for.
3. No creation can bee without an infinite power (as it hath beene prooved) therefore much leſſe can the reſtoring of the creature being fallen from the eſtate of Grace. For in the Creation there was nothing which hindered the worke of the Creator; But in the eſtate of ſinne there is an impediment, firſt in the corruption which is in the underſtanding, and frowardneſſe of the will turned away from God; Secondly in the concupiſcence, whereby man is inthralled to the ſervice of ſinne, &c. Thirdly, the power of the devill, where to a man is ſubjected by his ſinne. Fourthly, the Iuſt ſentence and wrath of God. The ſoule that ſinneth ſhall die the death. O Man! ſee what thou doeſt when thou doeſt ſinne. Can'ſt thou flee from thy ſelfe? yet the devill will overtake thee. Canſt thou eſcape the devill? yet the vengeance of God will ſurely lay hold on thee. Therefore there is no Redemption of hope in him that is man alone.
4 No man can pay for another that for which he is indebted himſelfe. But every man, and every other Creature doth owe unto God whatſoever it is, or whatſoever it can doe. Therefore no man, only man, can ſupply toward God the want of another mans ſervice, much leſſe make ſatisfaction for his ſinne, as it is ſaid in the 49. Pſal. v. 7. None can by any meanes redeeme his brother, nor giuegive to God a ranſome for him.
And if the injury were infinite, and the ſatisfaction impoſſible to be made by a finite creature, to which of the Angels ſhall man turne himſelfe? And there ſhall hee finde a further inconvenience. For ſeeing the offence was made by man, It is neceſſary that Iuſtice ſeeke ſatisfaction where the offence was made. As an unity in number once broken, cannot bee made up by the ſame parts into which it was broken.
Objections.
1. But you will ſay, a finite Creature cannot doe an infinite deed, and therefore cannot commit an infinite ſinne thereby to deſerve an infinite puniſhment. Anſwer. The ſinne is not eſteemed according to the littleneſſe of the Sinner; but the infinity of the ſinne is firſt in regard of Him againſt whom the ſin was, that is God, whoſe infinite glory and Iuſtice was diſeſteemed therein. Then in reſpect of the good of which man deprived himſelfe by his ſinne, that was life eternall as the Father ſaith, factus eſt dignus molo aterno, qui in ſe perimit bonum, quod poterat eſſe aeternum. Thirdly in reſpect of the manly nature, diſpoyled of grace and glory, which nature by the bleſſing which Adam had received, was multipliable into infinite multitudes of men. In all which reſpects that ſinne after a ſort may well be ſaid infinite.
2. But good is more powerfull and active than ill, ſeeing ill neither is but in that which is good, nor workes but in the power thereof. Therfore if man by one ill deed were able to deſtroy himſelfe, much more by many good deeds ſhall he be able to make ſatisfaction. Anſwer. Ill is in every want or failing of that which is good: but Good holds all perfections, whether in being, or in working. Therefore man might eaſily corrupt himſelfe; but being corrupted hee cannot poſſibly repaire himſelfe, nor yet doe any thing that is good or acceptable, Math. 7.18. & 12.33.
3. But the ſatisfaction being now made, are wee not reſtored unto as good an eſtate by the ſuffering of Chriſt, as that which Adam loſt? ſo that if Adam for his obedience ſake might have lived a naturall life eternally; wee alſo for our workes ſake may bee accounted worthy of everlaſting bliſſe. For if wee be reſtored by Chriſt, and for his ſake accepted, our workes likewiſe are for his ſake both accepted and rewarded according to their merit. Anſwer. I ſay, that our eſtate is farre better than Adams in this, that his hope of everlaſting life, being ſet in his owne obedience, did inſtantly faile; but ours, ſtanding in the obedience of Chriſt, who is made to us righteouſneſſe, ſanctification, redemption and life, can never faile. For therefore becauſe that pretious treaſure of eternall life was ſo careleſly kept by Adam, God who loved the ſalvation of mankinde better then man himſelfe, would in no wiſe commit the keeping of that jewell to man any more. Therefore though ſinne have no power to condemne them that are in Chriſt, yet is it ſtill ſuffered to dwell in us, that wee ſhould not truſt in our ſelves, but in the living God. For as the Father ſaith, Multum nobis in hoc carue tribucremus, niſi uſque ad ejus depoſitionem ſub veniâ viveremus. Aug. de Civ. lib. 10. cap. 22. And although Adam by the grace and favour of his Creator, might have continued in the eſtate in which hee was created, if hee had ſtood in his innocency: yet could hee not even then have beene ſaid to merit everlaſting life. For merit, or hire, comes ever for that which is above duty, which cannot bee in the creature towards the Creator. As to a hired ſervant the wages, merit, or hire, comes for his worke; becauſe it was in his power whether hee would labour for that maſter or no, being not bound unto him but for his hire: but in a bondman the poſſeſſion of his Lord, all his ſervice and labour is his Lords to require, and imploy it as it pleaſeth him, Luke. 17.8.9. and this is the condition of the whole creature to the Lord and Creator of all. And if Adam in his innocency could not merit, much leſſe can ſinnefull man merit any thing but affliction and death by his ſinne and ſervice to the devill, to whom hee is no way bound but by his ſinne. And this difference the Apoſtle maketh, Rom. 6.23. the wages of ſinne is death, but the free gift of God is eternall life.
4. But are wee not commanded to worke out our ſaluation with feare and trembling? Phil. 2.12. and is not the ſentence of everlaſting life pronounced for the workes of charity which were foreſeene in us, and for which the kingdome of heaven was prepared for us from the beginning of the world? Math. 25. verſ. 34.35.36. Anſwer. What merit can any man claime for that which another hath principally wrought in him? And if God worketh in us to will, and to doe, Phil. 2.13. what is our worke, but that wee ſhould with joy runne after Him that drawes vsus? Cant. 1.4. Therefore although good workes are ordained of God that wee ſhould walke in them, and that wee are created thereunto, Eph. 2.10. and that God who choſe us in Chriſt to bee heires of glory; ordained all the meanes thereto, and workes in us to bee ready to every good worke: and thereby makes our calling and election ſure unto us: yet is not that worke ſolely and intirely ours, but chiefely of the grace and ſpirit of Chriſt that dwels in us, and crownes His owne good workes in us with everlaſting life. 1 Cor. 15.10. So then our workes muſt vaniſh, that every mouth may bee ſtopped, and the whole world may bee guilty before God. Rom. 3.19. So that every man notwithſtanding his owne workes, even the chiefeſt among the Saints, may with Iob abhorre himſelfe, and repent in ſackcloth and and aſhes, Iob. 42.6.
5. The naturall deſires common to all men cannot bee in vaine, becauſe they come not unto them out of any particular choyſe or preſent neceſſity, but by influence or direction of that common nature which is in all men, which though it cannot effect it, yet hath it ſhewed what is to bee wrought for the uttermoſt good of every particular, by the Lord of Nature. But every man by the inclination of his owne will, doth deſire the uttermoſt perfection and happpineſſe of his owne being, which hee acknowledges to bee in being united to that which is the greateſt good, and the enjoying thereof in eternall life. Therefore every man by the guidance of nature it ſelfe, doth returne unto God as the Author and Finiſher of his happineſſe. Anſwer. No agent can worke of it ſelfe above the proper ſtrength and power of it ſelfe. And eternall life is a thing beyond the limits of naturall knowledge and deſire, which mindes onelyonly the well-being and continuance of the whole man according to the preſent eſtate of this naturall life alone. But becauſe Hee that wils not the death of a ſinner, Ezech. 33.11. would have all men to come to the knowledge of the truth, 1 Tim. 2.4. therefore are all men ſo farre inſtructed (or at leaſt if they doe not willfully winke may bee ſo farrē inſtructed) either by the voyce of the creature, or by certaine inbred notions, or by tradition, or by an influence of grace denyed to none: that they may know the eternall power and Godhead, Rom. 1.20. and the immortality of the ſoule, in a better eſtate then this life can afford, as hath beene ſaid before, in Pref. And this is that univerſall grace which wee may yeeld to bee vouchſafed to all, not onelyonly without the viſible Church, but much more within the Church, where by the cleare light of the Holy Scripture all may and ought to know particularly, whatſoever is meet for their ſoules health. And this univerſall grace, I ſay further, wee ought to yeeld unto, becauſe without it, neither the pagans and infidels, nor yet the falſe Chriſtians can bee without excuſe. But that every one that knowes, doth of himſelfe according to this knowledge frame his will conſtantly, and effectually, to deſire whatſoever belongs to eternall life, Pelagius will never bee able to demonſtrate. For he that wils any thing conſtantly and effectually, wils alſo thoſe meanes conſtantly and effectually without which that thing cannot bee come unto. And becauſe without holineſſe no man can ſee the Lord, Heb. 12.14. in whoſe preſence onelyonly is the fullneſſe of bleſſing and joy for evermore, Pſal. 16.11. in the narrow path of which holineſſe becauſe the godleſſe Pagan and looſe living Chriſtian cannot nor will not walke, therefore they cannot bee ſaid effectually either to will, or to deſire everlaſting life. But this is that ſpeciall grace reſerved for the veſſels of mercy, by which they are not inforced againſt their will, but of naturall men naturally unwilling, are made willing to follow Him that drawes them with the cordes of love, to love that which is pleaſing in his ſight, and ſo to will and deſire conſtantly and effectually to follow that which is for their ſoules health. So this deſire being wrought in them, by Him that is able to fulfill the deſire of them that feare Him, is a pledge unto them that their hope ſhall never bee aſhamed. And thus the weakeneſſe of the aſſumption, and falſhood of the concluſion, doe plainely appeare.
6. But hee is accounted a cruell creditor that will exact more then his debtor can pay: and hee a cruell Lord, that requires of his ſervant that which hee cannot performe. Therefore the moſt mercifull God requires of man no other ſatisfaction then that which man is able to performe. Anſwer. It is juſt that God ſhould require of man that he enabled him to performe. For otherwiſe His juſtice ſhould bee deficient or wanting towards Himſelfe: and his glory likewiſe unduely eſteemed. And the cruelty of a Creditor is to require more than a man is able to performe, by himſelfe or by his ſuretie. Therefore our moſt mercifull Lord foreſeeing the malice of the Devill, and the ſinne of man thereby, to the glory of His infinite grace, provided us a Saviour before we had ſinned: For whoſe abundant ſatisfactions ſake, wee have a doore of entrance as wide as the Valley of Achor ſet open unto us, that by His merit alone wee may come boldly unto the throne of grace, there to find helpe in the time of need. Of which Mediator we are now to ſpeake in the Articles following.